Emiko's eyes narrowed as she drew back the string on her bow, concentrating on the target in front of her. Suddenly she turned her weapon in a different direction, firing the arrow away from its objective. The arrow arced in midair, then made a turn on its own to hit the target dead on.
Finding her fairy form convenient for once, Elsa watched her friend practice from afar. The tree she had chosen to perch in had wonderfully big, flat leaves that made it easy for her to hide in while spying on her friend. A sad smile spread over her features; it was no secret which of the two evil deities was stronger. It was unfortunate...but what Emiko lacked in power she made up for in sheer stubborn determination. Hopefully it would give their side the edge they needed. For now, however, all Elsa could do was wait for Shinnomori to come for his target. It would be up to her to make sure both Emiko and herself survived.
Emiko lowered her weapon, satisfied with her results. After considering it a moment she drew another arrow, stopping only a second to load it onto the bow before firing. She smirked as it lodged itself right beside the previous shot. She then turned to face the tree Elsa was sitting in, still wearing the smug expression. "So, how long do you intend on 'hiding' up there?"
A giggle escaped the Goddess of Good as she jumped out of the tree, gracefully growing to human size as she landed. "Just enjoying the scenery. Isn't it lovely this time of year?"
Emiko simply raised a skeptical eyebrow at her friend. "Give it a rest, Elsa. I know you better than that. You're up to something, but if you're going to feign ignorance then I won't push it." She shrugged, brushing the thoughts aside. Looking around for a moment, she noticed something unusual. "Hey, where's that child of yours?"
"He'll be training with his father for a while," Elsa said with a sigh, She paused before giving Emiko a hesitant smile. "Speaking of missing people, where would your lover be?"
Emiko's expression softened a little. "He's waiting at home, of course. He never wants to leave the house." The goddess sighed as well, appearing somewhat annoyed. "He worries far too much. Who would dare come after him under my protection?"
"It's not paranoia when someone really is after you," Elsa commented as nonchalantly as possible. She had to be careful; if Emiko rushed back too soon all three of their lives would be in danger. At the same time, taking too long would have the same effect.
Emiko immediately frowned, briefly wondering if the other goddess knew something she wasn't letting on, but soon decided that her friend wouldn't hide something that important from her. "Maybe..." she conceded, the thought still bothering her.
Elsa pointedly examined the target that Emiko had been using. "So, if you're not concerned, why the practice?" She smirked at the evil goddess. "Don't tell me you're getting rusty in your old age..."
"You're hardly the one to be teasing me about old age, Elsa," Emiko responded with a smirk to the other. The look diminished as she considered Elsa's question. "I didn't say I wasn't concerned," she finally admitted. "Some fools will try anything." She looked over her shoulder in the direction of her home. A sinking feeling began to take over in her stomach. "I think I should be heading back," she said distantly.
Elsa ignored the comment from her friend and instead threw her a challenge. "How are you with moving targets?"
Emiko whirled around to face her friend, giving her a confused look. "They're not difficult," she said carefully. "My arrows fly wherever they need to, thanks to my telekinesis." She half smiled, eying her target. "It's nice that this goddess power comes in handy sometimes."
Nodding, Elsa looked toward the sky as if not believing the evil goddess, when in reality she was gaging her time. It was a little early yet, but perhaps she could slow the walk back to Emiko's house. She took a few steps in the right direction. "Tea sounds great, now that you mention it," she said as she smiled over her shoulder.
"When did I mention--" Emiko thought aloud, but stopped as she saw Elsa starting to leave. She instead rushed to catch up.
"Ko-chan has already learned how to communicate with plants!" the fairy giggled, thinking about it. "His father seemed upset when he showed such an interest in flowers...I think it's adorable, don't you?"
Emiko shook her head at Elsa's comments on her son. "Sometimes I wonder about that child. You'd think you were meant to have a daughter rather than a son." She smiled then, her face turning slightly red. "I know I would rather have a daughter, myself."
Elsa shrugged nonchalantly. "I will not be having any more children..." Deliberately slowing the pace once more she smiled as well. "Though, I hope the girl I choose will be a good friend for your daughter."
A bit disconcerted by Elsa's first comment, Emiko's brow furrowed, just a little. She decided not to comment on it. "If you chose her, I don't see how she wouldn't be." For a moment, she hesitated. "I've done a lot of thinking recently, about what a child of mine would be like. I've even given her a name." She suddenly blushed a little deeper. "Not that I'm planning on it anytime soon!" she added quickly.
"Oh, hon, it's perfectly natural for a woman to think about these things!" Elsa replied brightly. "And what will her name be?"
"Izumi." Emiko's look became distant, and she paused in her steps for a moment. "I don't know, Elsa," she sighed at last. "Once Hajime becomes my husband and none of the other deities can touch him I'll feel more at ease. But for now, the only thing I can do is protect him and hope for the best."
------------
Hajime stared out the window at the setting sun, idly tapping his sheathed sword against the hard wood floor. He glanced back at the dinner he had prepared for himself and his lover, then returned to gazing outside as he waited for her return.
He abruptly spun around, instinctively drawing his sword and swinging it down on a sound he heard behind him. A small sigh of relief escaped him as he saw it had only been a mouse, who scuttled away at the sound of steel hitting wood. He pried his weapon from the ground and stared at the spot it had hit. "I am being too paranoid," he mumbled, pushing his glasses up with his free hand before sheathing the sword.
"I wouldn't go that far," a voice replied from directly behind him.
Hajime froze, his expression unchanged. He silently cursed himself for being distracted by the rodent, not noticing the intruder that slipped past him. He didn't need to turn around to know who it was. The hand that sheathed the sword remained on its hilt.
"I hear you've been spying on me," Shinnomori commented as he stepped forward to face his prey. "I wouldn't call that a very smart idea."
"Neither is hiding your heir from Mokona-sama," the former operative replied in a calm manner, fighting to retain his composure.
The smug smirk on the drow's face shrank into a serious glare. "You're in no position to be saying things like that," he growled, a ball of blue light forming in his hand.
Hajime's grip tightened on the sword as he quickly drew the blade. The drow showed no reaction, instead having gone silent and nearly motionless. Thinking himself lucky for the opportunity to strike first, he took a swing. What he didn't expect was for the ball to suddenly morph, stretching forward to wrap around his sword, coating the entire weapon down to the hilt with a thick layer of ice. Startled, he dropped the blade before his hand could be caught with it, and it shattered as it hit the ground.
The ball shrank back into its original form. Shinnomori lifted his eyes, his expression changed into a sinister grin. Thin spears of ice flew from the orb toward their newly unarmed target, tearing into him like knives. With no means to defend himself all Hajime could do was withstand the attack until his strength gave out, and he at last collapsed.
The
God of Evil stood before his victim, his eyes looking hazed, but the
smile of sadistic pleasure was clear on his face. The other man could
only stare up at him through broken glasses, eyes glazed and
breathing shallow. The orb floating out of Shinnomori's hands and
down
into his body was the last thing he saw.
------------
As the two goddesses came within view of the house, Elsa could hardly contain the fear and dread welling inside of her. Knowing what was to come made it harder to take the next few steps.
Emiko stopped short, looking back to the other, who seemed to be hesitating. She tilted her head slightly, concern in her expression. "Elsa...is there something wrong?"
A shudder ran through Elsa's frame and she locked eyes with her friend. "He's here...Shinnomori..."
Emiko stared at the fairy woman in disbelief for a moment until the thought sunk in, Without another word she rushed toward the house, throwing the door open.
What she found inside made her instantly numb.
Her eyes couldn't see Shinnomori at all, even though he was smirking directly at her. Her vision was instead solely focused on the lifeless body beside him. She felt her legs threatening to give out beneath her, forcing her to grab the door frame to prevent her from falling. Tears stung her eyes, but she desperately fought them back. Her grief slowly transformed into rage. "You bastard," she hissed through clenched teeth.
Coming to a stop just behind Emiko, Elsa also took in the scene in horror. The fairy began to prepare her magic, her quiet chanting the only sound in the room. It seemed Shinnomori felt like amusing himself by letting the women start the fight. The smirk on his face was one of complete and total arrogance. Elsa clenched her own teeth and concentrated on making her magic active.
Shinnomori's eyes narrowed and his smirk grew into a grin, infuriating Emiko even further. She pulled an arrow from her quiver, firing it without bothering to aim first. The arrow sailed past Shinnomori with ease, then circled back to strike from behind. Before it could hit however, it was blocked by a thin wall of ice that seemingly appeared from out of nowhere. Emiko didn't even have time to move before he rushed forward, appearing in front of her within seconds. The drow kicked out at his counterpart, sending her backwards and out the door.
Elsa caught the other goddess before she could hit the ground, holding her tightly under each arm. As she shifted to support Emiko's weight she looked up to meet Shinnomori's gaze with a defiant look of her own. Speaking the final syllable to her shield, it activated just as a glowing blue fist would have connected with her head. Both spells exploded, sending their casters in opposite directions. The extra weight of Emiko knocked Elsa into the ground with her friend.
Emiko cried out in surprise as the surge of magic counteracting each other send them flying back. Dazed by the sudden impact, she didn't notice the evil god approach them again.
The anger twisted Shinnomori's face into a scowl of pure rage. "You don't know your place, Elsa...this has nothing to do with you," he spat at her, delivering a swift kick to her groin. "Go back to your husband,"
Alarm struck Emiko when Elsa took a blow. "Stay back!" she screamed, extending her arm as a blast of power came from it, pushing the god away from them temporarily. Concern took over her face as she turned her gaze to the fairy. "Are you alright!"
No amount of anticipation could have prepared Elsa for the pain that was shooting through her. She pulled her knees to her chest and whimpered," Just give me a second..."
Emiko's face contorted, her expression one of hatred. She rose to her feet, holding her hands together and murmuring a few words under her breath. A ball of energy formed there as she spoke, and when it was large enough she hurled it at the angry drow.
Shinnomori simply twisted to avoid the attack, preparing one of his own as he did so. He sent it sailing at her, and she barely managed to shield herself from it. She gasped as the man unexpectedly appeared before her. another burst of magic at point blank throwing her back to the dirt. It was then that the attack Emiko had launched before struck the god in the back, throwing him off balance. He stumbled forward, growling in response. "You bitch!" he shouted, kicking her in the side. She winced as she skidded across the dirt and rocks, accented by a sharp cry as she felt something snap in her left ankle. She forced herself up on her hands, lifting her gaze to see a blue sphere floating in front of her. Shinnomori simply looked on in sick satisfaction.
Even though the pain refused to ease, Elsa managed to make herself stand. As quickly as possible she lunged herself at the Evil God.
Shinnomori in turn threw the fairy off his back and into the wall of the house. "You think you have any chance of winning? You weak, pathetic and worthless fairy..." He picked Elsa up by the neck and pinned her to the wall. "Just what are you trying to do? What is your agenda, Goddess of Good?"
Elsa's defiance turned into amusement; even though she couldn't breath. "To have you kill me," she managed. "Then Mokona will take your powers away and give them to that adorable little boy of yours..."
Shinnomori's eyes widened momentarily before they tapered into slits, his lips curling into a snarl. His grip tightened on the fairy's throat and a growl escaped his own. He suddenly pulled his arm sideways, throwing the goddess he held into the other. He tossed the pair a menacing glare before walking away into the forest.
"He's gone, Emi-chan," Elsa confirmed verbally, mostly for herself. She winced as she sat up and finally let herself cough up the blood that had been gathering in her stomach. The taste was so unfamiliar to the fairy that she was nearly overcome with nausea.
Emiko glanced at her friend with a look of concern, her hand set on her own broken ankle as a spell attempted to repair it. Her gaze then turned to the open door of her home. When the spell was complete she made no move to go inside. She had no desire to. "Did you know about this?" she said at last, her voice sounding foreign, even to her.
Tears fell from Elsa's eyes as she nodded slowly. "It was all I could do to save you...I'm so sorry, Emiko..." She followed her friend's gaze toward the house and shuddered. "There was nothing even Mokona could do..."
Emiko nodded as well, letting the thought register. She knew that though Elsa could see the future, there was little she could do to change it. Her stare lowered to the bow she still held in her hand. "I don't understand..." Her grip on the wood tightened, until it finally snapped in two. "What good is any of this power if I can't use it to protect the one I love!"
"Against Shinnomori, there aren't many who can best him in a fight." Elsa tried to console her friend by placing a hand on her shoulder. "Even Rinzei would have difficulty, since they are balanced against each other. To my knowledge there is only one being who is immune to his power and could defend against him, given some time..." She began to summon her own healing energy. "It's just too bad the poor boy is trapped..."
Emiko looked back to meet Elsa's eyes, a little confused until she realized who the fairy must have meant. She gave her bow one more glare of disdain before throwing the broken weapon away. "Elsa...will you be able to get home by yourself all right?"
The fairy nodded with a look of determination. "Yes, I can..." With a sigh she reached forward and grabbed Emiko's chin. "You won't be able to help him until you can help yourself...if you feel weak, become strong and then teach him to do the same..."
The evil goddess nodded, managing a tiny worn-out smile. "I'll keep that in mind." She slowly rose to her feet, starting off in the same direction she'd seen Shinnomori go. "Goodbye, Elsa."
"Emiko!" Elsa called after her friend. "I believe my sacrifice was worth it..." Her hand went to her stomach, reminding herself of what she had lost. "You had better prove me right..."
------------
Author's Notes:
Use of Mokona: This fanfic referrs to Mokona as the creator of worlds (like in Rayearth) who resides in this current world as the ultimate power. Emiko, Shinnomori and Elsa are subdieties under his rule. For further info check out http/bishounenfarm. Please review, I'd like to know what people think...
